Pain physician
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Observational Study
Predicting Responses to Interventional Pain Management Techniques for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Single-Center Observational Study (PReTi-Back Study).
Exploring factors linked to the outcomes of certain interventional pain management techniques may optimize the selection of candidates for those procedures. Our hypothesis is that factors that influence responses to interventional therapies for chronic low back pain (CLBP) can be identified by analyzing a prospective cohort. ⋯ Patients satisfied with previously performed interventional therapies or who exhibit findings of radicular compression or listhesis on imaging show approximately twice the likelihood of experiencing a positive response to short-term IMPT than do patients without those characteristics. Patients who are obese or have PSPS-2 exhibit approximately a 50% lower likelihood of short-term response than do patients without these conditions.
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Numerous studies have highlighted the escalating costs associated with managing low back and neck pain, as well as other musculoskeletal disorders. In the past, there was a notable increase in the use of interventional techniques to address these disorders. However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted various chronic pain treatment approaches, including interventional procedures and opioid use, following a broader trend of reduced healthcare services. Consequently, there was an 18.7% decline in the use of interventional techniques per 100,000 Medicare beneficiaries between 2019 and 2020, a stark contrast to the previous growth patterns, despite some initial declines observed starting in 2017. ⋯ This retrospective analysis demonstrates a significant reduction in the use of interventional pain management techniques from 2019 to 2022. Contributing factors to this decline likely include the lasting effects of COVID-19, economic challenges, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and evolving local coverage determination policies.
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The Hartel anterior approach is a commonly used puncture method in percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) surgery. However, anatomical variations along the puncture path, and visual errors on x-ray 2-dimensional imaging, may increase the difficulty of a successful first attempt. Our clinical practice has shown that employing the quadrant localization technique to plan puncture points and angles can enhance the puncture success rate. ⋯ In PBC surgery, the quadrant localization technique improves efficiency and reduces hospital stay compared with the conventional Hartel anterior approach, without increasing the risk of complications.
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Observational Study
A Novel Ultrasonographic Method to Quickly and Accurately Access the C2 Dorsal Root Ganglion.
Occipital neuralgia manifests as pain in the cutaneous distribution of occipital nerves, with the greater occipital nerve stemming from the C2 spinal nerve and the lesser occipital nerve originating from the C2 and C3 spinal nerves. While pulsed radiofrequency ablation of the C2 dorsal root ganglion (DRG) is an effective treatment for refractory occipital neuralgia, accessing the C2 DRG remains a clinical challenge even under fluoroscopic guidance. ⋯ We have developed an ultrasonographic method to quickly and accurately access the C2 DRG, which has the potential to greatly facilitate treating the C2 DRG for managing occipital neuralgia.
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Discogenic chronic low back pain (cLBP) and radiculopathy are the most prevalent causes of disability worldwide. Older spine treatments often lack reliability and are associated with adverse events. Among surgical treatment options, discectomies weaken discs, and fusions cause direct damage to adjacent discs, so both treatments accelerate disc degeneration. Other regenerative medicine treatments, including "stem cell" (centrifuged bone marrow aspirate, BMC), and platelet-rich plasma (PRP), lack fibrin's bio-adhesive properties. Specifically, fibrin is a strong bio-adhesive, so it immediately integrates into disc defects and binds there, becoming a part of the disc and facilitating new disc tissue growth. ⋯ Intra-annular fibrin bio-adhesive sealant demonstrates the ability to be an effective treatment for alleviating discogenic cLBP and radiculopathy for at least 3 years, even in patients who all failed multiple prior treatments, including discectomy, fusion, disc PRP, or BMC. The results suggest the benefits of fibrin sealant. Future investigations to consider include a randomized double-blind controlled trial and further categorical analyses.